-чуга

First attested in the late 1970s. According to Babić, it has spread from the word цр̀нчуга (“nigger”) (originally formed as црнц- + -југа), which was reanalyzed by native speakers as if being composed of цр̑н (“black”) + -чуга. The word цр̀нчуга was the most common pejorative in subtitled American movies shown on television, acting as a translation for the English word nigger. From there, the suffix has spread forming other words, built on a similar pattern, and with similar pejorative connotations.

-чуга (Latin spelling -čuga)

1. Suffix appended to nominal stems to a create a noun, usually an augmentative with pejorative connotations.

   ка̏ме̄н → каменчуга

   цр̑н → цр̀нчуга

   пи̑во → пивчуга

• Stjepan Babić, 1991, O postanku sufiksa čuga, in Senjski zbornik, Vol.18 No. 1